Auction to benefit Homeless Shelter

 PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – Bid high and bid often is what Paul Saija, co-owner of Eagle Hill Stamps & Coins, hopes community members will do Saturday.
     Saija has organized an auction that will begin at 2 p.m. March 17 at the Aroostook Centre Mall food court with proceeds benefiting the Presque Isle Homeless Shelter. Viewing starts at noon.
“I read in The Star-Herald back in January that the homeless shelter was in need of help, and I know a lady who stayed there a few years ago, and she says that place turned her whole life around,” he said. “I know a couple people who are staying there right now, and the shelter does a lot of good, so I wanted to help out.
“I was an auctioneer for a long time, so it seemed like a good fund-raiser to do,” said Saija, noting that Bert Winslow will be co-auctioneering the event with him. “Bert told me that in the last 14 years, he’s helped raise $1.5 million for local charities at auctions, so we’re excited about it.”
One of the featured items up for bid is a painting by 3-year-old Oliver Graves of Presque Isle.
“He has greeting cards for sale at Morningstar Gallery,” said Saija. “The kid is amazing … he loves to paint. Sometimes he’d rather go without eating just to paint. He could be quite an artist one day.”
Other items will include a diamond ring appraised at $800, a gold coin donated by Eagle Hill Stamps & Coins, a four-shelf bookcase with glass doors, an oil painting by award-winning Massachusetts’ artist Mary Saija and framed by Morningstar Gallery, a power shovel donated by Caron’s Lawn Care, and 10 hours of chauffeuring services (for three to four people) by Harold Thibodeau of Caribou.
“We’ll also have some new merchandise, gift certificates, useful items and collectibles,” said Saija. “We’ll probably have somewhere between 75 and 80 items.”
While optimistic the auction will raise a lot of money, Saija said he hopes the event will heighten awareness of the homeless shelter, as well.
“It’s been doing that,” said Saija. “We’ve had a bunch of monetary donations come in because of the auction.”
As a way to solicit items for Saturday’s event, Saija has had fraternity and sorority members of Kappa Delta Phi at the University of Maine at Presque Isle canvassing the community asking business owners if they would like to donate items.
“I also have help from the Campus Crusade for Christ at the University, and they’re going to be helping at the auction itself,” he said. “Spike Savage, the city’s treasurer, will be doing the bookkeeping for us, and I’ve asked a mathematics major at UMPI to help him. It’s becoming quite a community project.”
Saija said the benefit auction will become an annual event.
“The shelter’s going to need support every year,” he said. “In fact, next year they’re getting a $22,000 cut in funding from the Maine State Housing Authority. The shelter is a wonderful service, and I don’t want to see anything happen to that place.”
A number of organizations have made significant monetary donations to the homeless shelter including the Family Christian Center in Presque Isle and the Celebration Center of Fort Fairfield, which both donated $1,000. Saija said St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Presque Isle has also been very supportive of the auction by collecting items.